Control switch for direction signals



May 6, 1930. N. 'GREGORIEFF CONTROL SWITCH FOR DIRECTION SIGNALS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 15, 1926 T AW a w w May 6, 1930. N. GREGORIEFF 1,757,014

CONTROL SWITCH Fol l DIRECTION SIGQALS Filed NOV. 15, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A?" 3:; 67 42" 7 1; k v

4'5 Inventor m Hun 1 jf izgzagreyarbflf- Attorney Patented Mayflfi, 1930 I NICHOLAS onnsonmrr,

or soom, canmonnrn CONTROL FDR DIRECTION SIGNALS f Application tiled November This invention relates to a control switch for direction signals on motor vehicles, and

particularly to a switch mechanism adapted for association with and operation by a mol5 tor vehicle transmission.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a switch mechanism adapted for mounting on a motor vehicle transmission having suit able elements operated by the shifter rod for 113* the reverse gear of the transmission in order that a suitable signal may be energized through the closing of. aswitch to indicate the backing of the vehicle to the rear thereof.

lhe invention more particularly includes the provision of a switch mechanism having a stationary contact member'and a movable contact member connected with a lung-er slidably mounted in the housing tor the switch member and projecting outwardly therefrom so that the housing may be suitably attached to asliding gear transmission on the motor vehicle, with the plunger in nlined relation with the shifter rod for the reverse gear of the transmission, for suitable operation-thereby.

,The invention .comprehends numerous other objects residing in the details of construction and arrangement oi the parts which are more particularly pointed out in the following detailed description and in the claims directed to a preferred form of the, invention, it being understood; however, that various changes in the size, shape and rela tion of the parts may be made without departing from. the spirit and scope of the invention as herein set forth.

In the drawings forming part of thisinvention:-

transmission showing the improved switch construction applied thereto and wiring connections for a suitable signal to be controlled by the switch. I

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the switch construction shown on an enlarged scale with the cover plate removed to illustrate the position and relation of the partsof the switch in detail.

. 0" Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, show- Figure 1 is a plan view of a sliding gear 15, 1928. Serial No. 148,502.

ing the parts in operative circuit closing pos1t10n... V Y Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4 4 ot Fig. 2.

.Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. d.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line I 66 of Fig. 2. v Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of the operating spring for the movable switch member. 5

Fig. 8 is a detail perspective of the supporting me'mberfor the movable switch memv Y ber. Fig. 9 is a'detail perspective of the movable switch member.

Fig. 10 is a detail perspective of the stationary contact member.

I 1, indicates a selective sliding gear transmission of any usual type common in the art which is provided with the shifting handle 2 adapted to control and operate the shifter rod 3. The majority of transmissions of this type used in the art are provided withan extending portion 4 housing part of the gearing or" the transmission which has the upper end terminating slightly below the plane of the shifter rod 3 so that the said rod in operation projects outwardly through the 4 casing over this projecting portion 4: as illustrated in Fig. 1.

For the purpose of the present invention, advantage is taken of this construction of transmission as now used in the art, for the control switch having suitable elements operated by the shifter rod in their projection thru the casin l.

This inventlon includes a main casing 5 of elongated substantially rectangular form having the upper end open and provided with ears 6 in the 'corner portions formed with openings to receive the screw 7 for removably-securing the cover plate 8 on the casing. At the opposite ends of the casing ears 9 are formed to receive'suitable secur-* 9 ing means for mounting thecasing and the assembled switch construction in operative position on the transmission housing 1 as clearly shown in-Fig. 1.

' Within the housing the insulating block member 10 is secured in the bottom portion thereof. -Atone end of .this block adjacent one end portion of the housing, is removably mounted the supporting block 11. for the -movable switch member 12. This support ing block comprises a plate member 13 adapted to seat on the insulating block 10 and which is formed with a plurality of openings to receive screws for removably mounting said plate and block on the block 10.

The central portion of the late 13 is formed with an upwardly exten 1ng portion 14 and at one end of the projection 14 is formed-the upstanding flange 15 terminatbifurcated as indicated at 18 both vertically and horizontally as clearly illustrated in Fig.

9. 'The horizontal bifurcations receive the laterally projecting plates 19 on the o erat-' ing plunger 20, while the vertical bi urcations receive the stubs 21 on the end portion vof the plate 19. The operating plunger 20 is slidably mounted in the sleeve member 22 mounted in the housin 5 in one side thereof adjacent one end 0 said housing. This operating plunger 20 in the position of the .switch shown in Fig. 2, normally projects beyond the endof the sleeve 22 and in the position of the parts as shown in Fig. 1, engages the ends of the shifter rod 3' controlling the reversing gear so that in the projection moved through the sleeve 22 inwardly in the of said rod for moving the reversing gear into lntermeshed relation in the transmission for reversing the direction of the vehicle I equipped therewith, the plunger willbe casing from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 3. This motion will .be transmitted to the switch lever 12 through the studs 21 for mov- 1 ing the lever on its pivot in the supporting block 11. g A resilient o erating member-23 includes a supporting p ate 24 which is formed with an upwardly extending flange 25 formed at I the upper end with a laterally projecting resilient arm 26 which is bent upon itself adjacent the connection with the projection 25 as clearly illustrated in Fig. 7. The plate portion 24 is suitably secured to the insulating block 10 as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, while the resiliently projected arm 26 engages the switch lever 12 for normally moving said lever to the position shown in Fig.2, and

normally moving the operating plunger 20 to retain it in engagement with the shifter rod 3, as shown in Fig. 1.

A stationary contact member 27 illustrated in detail in Fig. 7, includes a contact block 28 beveled at one end as--indicated at 29 where it is secured to the securing plate 30 formed with openings to receive suitable screw members forremovably securing the stationary contact to the insulating face 10. This stationary contact member is positioned under the bifurcated end portion of the lever 12, so that the contact block 28 thereof lies in the path of movement of the bifurcated end of the switch lever with which it engages when moved into the position shown in Fig. 3. The beveled end 29 permits the bifurcated end of the lever when operated by the plunger 20' to freely move over the upper portion of the block 28, while in the position shown in Fig. 2,1the switch lever overlies the securing plate 30 of the contact and breaks the circuit which overlies the securing plate 30 but does not engage the stationary contact member, and thereby breaks the circuit controlled through the switch arm and stationary contact.

. Suitable insulating bushings 31 are mounted in the sides of the housing 5 through which the circuit wires for connecting the switch mechanism in circuit with a suitable signal extend. With articular reference to Fig. 1, it will be note that the movable switch arm is connected to a suitable source of supply through the wire 32 such as the battery 33 of the motor vehicle,

which is grounded as indicated at'34 while the stationary contact 27 is connected by the wire 35 to the signal device 36 whichis grounded as indicated at 37 The signal device 36 ma be of any suitable and desired character known in the art provided for electrical operation throu h the control of the energization of the circuit thereto. 7

With the above described construction, a highly eflicient control switch is provided adapted for removable mounting on a trans mission for operation by the shifter rod for controlling the reverse gear thereof, so that a circuit to a suitable indicator is made or broken for operating the indicator to dis lay r a signal of a suitable character to indlcate to the rear of the vehicle that it is about 0 in the'act of moving rearwardlv.

This invention in addition provides a novel switch construction havinga plunger operat ing member slidably mounted in the casin containing the switch for moving the pivote switch arm to engage ordisengage the stationary contact.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is l I A circuit closer,comprising a casing, an

insulating block mounted in said casing, *a'

stationary contact member mounted on one end portion of said insulating block and pro-' vided with a beveled edge, a switch lever, a supporting block pivotally supporting one end of the switch member and secured to the opposite end portion of said insulating block, said stationary contact and said supporting block having terminals providing circuit wire attaching means, said switch member bein arranged with its free end engageable witfi m the stationary contact and adapted to ride upon the beveled edge thereof, a plunger slidable in the casing and operable outwardly thereof, said plunger being composed of inner and outer sections, an insulation coupling for said sections, a lateral projection on said inner section, means pivotally connecting said projection to the free end of the switch lever for operating said lever by the movement of the plunger and resilient means mounted on said insulating block engaging the lever for yieldably maintaining the lever out of engagement with said stationary contact with the plunger projected outwardly .of the casing. In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

NICHOLAS GREGORIEFF. 

